Reform UK's Maternity Leave Claim Window: A Procedural Change Within Limits

Reform UK proposes extending the filing window for unfair dismissal claims from three to 12 months—giving pregnant workers and new mothers more time to pursue cases while on leave. The measure addresses a real gap: claimants often miss deadlines while recovering. But the broader package merely codifies existing rights rather than expanding protections. The TUC criticized it as "deceptive," reflecting labor's wariness of a deregulatory party framing procedural adjustments as worker advocacy.